North Carolina – Republicans
Proving the Point
To show he isn’t “obsessed with his image,” Governor McCrory sent a response to the Charlotte Observer that showed he is, in fact, obsessed with his image. This calls to mind Virginia Sen. William L. Scott. In 1974, New Times magazine labeled Scott the country’s “dumbest” congressman. Scott called a press conference to deny…
Read MoreMcCrory Under Siege
Governor McCrory certainly isn’t the only politician “obsessed with his image.” But he shows it more than any politician I’ve ever seen. Read Taylor Batten’s remarkable and revealing account of his hour-and-40-minute interview with the Governor. Batten, editor of the Charlotte Observer’s editorial page (which endorsed McCrory for governor) wrote: “This is a man…
Read MoreShut Up
So long as politicians exercise – and abuse – power, we need the press and professors around to question power. But it looks like Republicans in Raleigh want to shut down questions and shut up critics. This after Governor McCrory promised to run an open, transparent administration. First, McCrory’s highly paid PR flacks…
Read MoreKennedy’s Cup of Tea?
Thanks to Senator Bob Rucho for serving up a heaping holiday helping of hilarity: “JFK could have been the founder and leader of the Tea Party.” Let’s let JFK answer himself. In the 1960 campaign, he said: “I have yet to hear of one single original piece of new, progressive legislation of benefit to…
Read MoreMcCroryisms
There he goes again: “We didn’t shorten early voting, we compacted the calendar.” Now, that’s positively Orwellian. And it’s the latest in a long string of eye-catching – and embarrassing – statements by Governor McCrory. Two weeks ago, John Frank wrote in the N&O: “At least a dozen times in his first 10 months…
Read MoreJob Killers?
Governor McCrory and legislative Republicans have a theory: Cut taxes and regulations, and jobs will flow in. What if they’re wrong – not only on the economics, but also on the politics? What if their theory leads to North Carolina becoming a more Democratic state? The question arises from two recent conversations: one…
Read MoreIn the Tank
Since I’ve been rough on Governor McCrory – and will be again – I’m providing equal time today to a TAPster who makes a valid point: “Here’s one vote to stop harassing Governor McCrory over expenditures to make the mansion a modern, livable home. In fact, those of us who care about the state should…
Read MoreGrudges
Rob Christensen wrote a tribute to Jack Hawke and in it mentioned hardball politics and Jack’s run-in with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice – there’s more to the story: During Senator Helms’ 1990 campaign, when Jack was Republican Chairman, I asked him for a favor – to work with…
Read MoreElection Takeaways
The Republican civil war takes off, Obamacare takes a hit, Virginia is still purple, a big GOP personality wins big in blue New Jersey, public pollsters lose big and a new generation of Democratic leaders rises across North Carolina. Let’s run it all down. GOP civil war: The skirmishes are over, and the real…
Read MoreSaluting Jack Hawke
Somehow it’s right that Jack passed away at election time. His life revolved around election days. I suspect Pat McCrory would be a better governor if he had listened more to Jack this year. I know politics won’t be as much fun with him gone.
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